Three more souls were saved and plenty of sick made well. There were more cries for Ruth to do another revival tomorrow, so she agreed. They dropped Millie off, asking her to explain their absence and then rode onto Jack's.

Kid had always liked Jack's house as it had never failed to have a cozy, warm atmosphere. Not only that, but the Pearsons' had seemed like such a tight knit family maybe in part because Jack was an only child, and so his parents had been happy to treat Kid like another son. Not that Kid's mother hadn't found ways to show her love growing up even though it had seldom been through words, but his father had been a hard, unfeeling man even before Ben's death. He had found comfort in the loving father figure Mr. Pearson had been and truly mourned his passing.

Jack was waiting outside for them with a pretty freckled girl with honey blonde hair and light brown eyes.

"You remember Nan, don't you?" Jack asked, knowing very well he did.

Kid gave a nod of greeting. "How are you, Nan?"

"Fine, and you, Kenneth?" she asked shyly.

"Just fine," Kid answered.

"See, I told you he looks fatter," Jack said to Nan.

Kid looked down to see if he was packing a few more pounds.

"Don't get vain on me. You always did look like a beanpole. I meant that as a compliment. Clothes look neater too. I'll wager it ain't you keeping them ironed."

Kid sighed, beginning to grow tired of Jack's pestering.

"But most importantly you look happy," he added. "Married life must agree with you."

"God agrees with him," Ruth said.

"He does," Kid agreed, "but God ain't doing the cooking and ironing. He don't care if you take credit where credit is due."

"Well, Nan's my fiancée in case you ain't figured it out," Jack said proudly. "We're going to be married after the harvest to give me time to add another room."

"I'm happy for you both," Kid told them and he was. He thought they were well-suited for each other.

Nan looked to Ruth. "I really enjoyed the meeting today. It's very moving to see souls being won and bodies being healed." She looked at Kid. "And your testimony is very powerful. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it."

"Well, what are we standing around for," Jack said, seeming to have grown uncomfortable with all the God talk. "Let's go eat."

Jack's mother was waiting on them and had set a bountiful table for the time of year.

"You didn't have to go to so much trouble, Mrs. Pearson," Kid said.

"Sure I did. You deserve to have a nice homecoming."

Kid wondered if she suspected how he'd been received in his own home.

Ruth asked the blessing and Kid felt that the food was somehow more blessed when she said it. She wasn't throwing empty words to the air.

"How's your momma?" Mrs. Pearson asked.

"Good," Kid said vaguely.

"I haven't seen her, well, since the accident, not in a visiting, social way, I mean. I've seen her at church and in passing, of course, but she's become fairly reclusive. Not blaming her or anything. I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a son, but, oh dear, listen to me rambling on. How are you, dear?"

"Fine," he answered, but Mrs. Pearson reached across the table and patted his hand lovingly.

Changing the subject, Jack said to Ruth, "So did Kenneth tell you that he and Nan were going to get married once as soon as he had saved up enough?"

"Is that right?" she asked as she gave Kid a pointed look.

He felt his cheeks growing warm under her gaze. He could have kicked Jack under the table and would have if he'd been in reach. "That was a long time ago."

"A long time ago," Nan added.

Ruth didn't look jealous. She looked more amused at the way he was squirming than anything, which injured his pride somewhat.

Jack walked them out to the wagon when the meal was over. The light was beginning to fade and Kid wanted them to be home before dark.

"We're having another revival tomorrow," Ruth said to Jack. "You're welcome to come to it. We'd love to have you there and I think Nan would too."

"Who knows? I might show up," he said with a shrug. "Momma's wanting to go, I think."

Kid helped Ruth up in the wagon and started to climb up after her, but Jack touched his shoulder.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you that if there's anything I learned when my father died, it's that we don't have forever. If you got anything you need to make right or say to your family, there's no time like the present."

"My family ain't your family. I've tried, but you don't know how things stand between us."

"You're right I don't know how things are, but that I know that they're your flesh and blood and that ain't ever going to change no matter how much you might want it to. What about your mother? I visited her a lot after it first happened and it wasn't just Ben she missed. She was missing you too. You tried talking to her?"

"I have."

"Have you flat out told her how sorry you are for everything?"

In truth, he hadn't; he was too afraid of outright rejection. Jack knew him too well. "I'll think about what you've said," he said, finally joining Ruth.

With a goodbye, they started back.

"Looks like you got more than one friend left to me," Ruth remarked.

"I guess I do."

"Seems I ain't the only who left a childhood sweetheart behind," she said with a grin. "Funny Nan never came up when we were discussing Mark."

"Cause she don't mean anything to me."

"I see. You were going to marry the girl and she didn't mean anything to you."

"Well, she don't mean anything to me now. I was fond of her, fonder than any of the other girls around here, but I didn't love her, not like I love you. I would've been miserable had I married her."

"She's such a sweet girl. I'm sure you wouldn't have been that miserable."

"Any marriage would be miserable if I wasn't married to you. How come you aren't jealous?"

"Cause I know the past is the past. I was jealous of Carla and Dorothy if that makes you feel any better," she said, patting his knee.

"Carla was just a friend and I never cared much for Dorothy. There's only ever been one for me."

"Aww, there's only ever been one for me too." she said, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

As he was shutting their horses in the stalls in the barn, he noticed Carmel's neck and flanks were covered in sweat. The normally sweet-tempered horse acted nervous and restless, pacing around in the area she had been given. "I think she'll be foaling tonight or in the morning." He was secretly relieved because that meant he would have an excuse to be out here tonight. He still didn't feel altogether comfortable in the bedroom he'd shared with Ben.

"That's good news," Ruth said. "I was hoping it'd be that way instead of somewhere out on the trail."

"Why don't you go inside and get some sleep? It could be a long night. Hard to tell when she'll get to the next part of her labor. I'll stay out here and make sure everything moves smoothly."

"I ain't going anywhere," she said, sitting down on the milking stool.

He didn't argue with her and they waited. It was about midnight when the next stage started. He looked over at Ruth and smiled to see her sleeping with her mouth slightly open, leaning against the barn wall. It was a wonder she hadn't fallen off the stool. She could be so stubborn; she would've been a lot more comfortable in bed.

His movement toward Carmel caused her to wake up. "How's it going? Have I missed anything?"

"Her water just broke. It won't be long now."

Carmel had laid herself down in the straw. Some mares didn't like for people to get close during this time, but she didn't seem to mind. He reached in and felt. He should have felt the foal's nose and two hooves instead he felt only the nose. "It ain't coming out the way she should," he informed Ruth.

"You know how to help her?"

"I've sat in on and helped with a handful of animal births, but they were normal deliveries. The mothers did all the work, but I've heard walking the mare around helps sometimes."

He took her reins and Carmel snorted her protest but she got to her feet and let him lead her around. He reached in and felt again, still just a nose.

Ruth prayed for help and it wasn't but a minute or two later when Wallace came out. "Everything going okay?"

He expected few people had ever thought of Wallace Cole as an answer to a prayer even the man himself, but he could tell Ruth thought so and Kid couldn't explain away the perfect timing. "The foal's having trouble. We can only feel her nose," Ruth said.

"I had a mare do that once. Just have to push it back in there and reposition it a little," he said. Then he went into action, rolling his sleeves up and doing as he'd said.

15 minutes later, the wet foal had made it out and was lying at its mother's feet breathing normally. She was a shade or two darker than her mother's golden brown coat with her father's black mane and tail.

"Nice looking animal," Wallace commented. "Well, looks like things are under control here." He made a move toward the barn door.

"Thank you," Ruth said. "You were a godsend."

He grunted and Kid also offered his thanks then Wallace was gone.

Ruth realized Kid's father could be a harsh man, but did a cruel man save a horse and foal's life for the son he claimed he could've done without? Would he go without sleep and come to check on their welfare if things were past all hope? She prayed for a more forgiving heart and reconciliation for everyone, herself included, and also thanked Him for restoring the relationship between Kid and Millie.

"What are we going to name her?" Kid asked.

"Something more clever than Horse," she teased.

"There can only be one Horse. You're thinking of something Biblical, aren't you?"

"Possibly. We'll sleep on it. I'm too tired to come up with something right now."

He agreed with her and they turned in for the night.